Word line pulse width control circuit in static random access memory

ABSTRACT

Devices and methods are provided for word line pulse width control for a static random access memory (SRAM) devices. A control circuit includes a first transistor, an inverter coupled to the first transistor, and a second transistor comprising a gate, a first source/drain terminal and a second source/drain terminal. The second transistor is coupled to the inverter. The first source/drain terminal of the second transistor is coupled in series to the first transistor. The second source/drain terminal is coupled to a decoder driver circuit. The second transistor is configured to charge a load of a common decoder line so as to reduce an effective load of the decoder driver circuit.

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No.15/969,834, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,658,026, filed May 3, 2018, whichclaims priority to U.S. Application No. 62/511,537, filed May 26, 2017,the content of which are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

FIELD

The technology described in this disclosure relates generally toelectronic devices and more particularly to memory devices.

BACKGROUND

Static random access memory (SRAM) devices are widely used forelectronic applications where high speed and low power consumption aredesired. SRAM devices are typically made up of one or more SRAM cellsimplemented using transistors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the followingdetailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It isnoted that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry,various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of thevarious features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity ofdiscussion.

FIG. 1 depicts an example diagram of a SRAM decoding device inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2 depicts an example diagram of a WL decoding scheme for the SRAMdevice shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 depicts an example diagram of a pre-set control circuit as shownin FIG. 2 in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4A-4C depict example voltage output graphs of the SRAM device shownin FIG. 3 in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 5A depicts an example performance data plot of the WL decodingscheme shown in FIG. 2 without inclusion of pre-set control circuit.

FIG. 5B depicts an example performance data plot of then WL decodingscheme shown in FIG. 2 with inclusion of pre-set control circuit asillustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 depicts an example flow chart for controlling a word line pulsewidth of a SRAM device shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with someembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, orexamples, for implementing different features of the provided subjectmatter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are describedbelow to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merelyexamples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the formationof a first feature over or on a second feature in the description thatfollows may include embodiments in which the first and second featuresare formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in whichadditional features may be formed between the first and second features,such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. Inaddition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/orletters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose ofsimplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationshipbetween the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.

Further, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,”“above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofdescription to describe one element or feature's relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatiallyrelative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of thedevice in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted inthe figures. The apparatus may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degreesor at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors usedherein may likewise be interpreted accordingly.

SRAM devices can be made up of one or more SRAM cells. SRAM cells caninclude different numbers of transistors. The transistors can form adata latch for storing a data bit. Additional transistors may be addedto control the access to the transistors. SRAM cells can be arranged asan array having rows and columns. Typically, each row of the SRAM cellsis connected to a word-line (WL), which determines whether the currentSRAM cell is selected or not. Each column of the SRAM cells is connectedto a bit-line (BL) or pair of BLs (BL/BLB), which is used for storing adata bit into a selected SRAM cell or reading a stored data bit from theselected SRAM cell.

A static noise margin (SNM) is an SRAM parameter that indicates how wellan SRAM memory cell can maintain a logic state “0” or “1” when the SRAMmemory cell is perturbed by noise or with intrinsic imbalance. Forexample, such noise or intrinsic imbalance can occur betweencross-coupled inverters or result from leakage defects withintransistors. Due to different voltage levels of WL and BL-pairs, a dualrail SRAM needs to avoid power noise such as VDD to VDDM peripheralboundary and/or intrinsic imbalance. In order to avoid power noise, theWL should turn off before the BLPCH turns off. This can be achieved by aWL decoding scheme, as described herein, which increases the speed atwhich the WL turns ON and OFF. The SNM is a more severe issue in caseswhere VDDM and VDD are at different voltage levels. When VDDM is lowerthan VDD, the WL pulse width is bigger than the BLPCH pulse width. Inother words, the WL takes longer to charge to a steady state voltage.The subject matter described herein addresses such power race conditionin dual rail SRAM devices and adds substantially no cycle time.

FIG. 1 depicts an example diagram of SRAM decoding logic 100 inaccordance with some embodiments. SRAM decoding logic 100 can be appliedto a dual rail SRAM device. SRAM decoding logic 100 can include aplurality of WL decoder driver circuits 110, a plurality WL pre-decodercircuits 120, a WL decoding control circuit 130, and a memory array 140.The pre-decoded word-line is transmitted to the respective WL decoderdriver circuit 110 coupled to the WL pre-decoder circuit 120. The WLpre-decoder circuits 120 and the WL decoder driver circuits 110 arecollectively coupled together by a common WL decoding control circuit130. The WL pre-decoder circuits 120 and the WL decoder driver circuits110 has a WL output coupled to the memory array 140 to enable aread/write operation. WL pre-decoder circuits 120 and WL decoder drivercircuits 110 can drive a respective WL coupled to the memory array 140so that the proper memory cell in the memory array 140 is accessed.

Each memory array 140 includes one or more word-lines (WL/WLB) and oneor more bit-lines (BL/BLB), arranged in rows and columns (not shown). WLdecoder driver circuit 110 drives the one or more WL/WLB within memoryarray 140. One or more BLs can be interconnected with bit linepre-charge 142 circuitry. At least one bit line pre-charge 142 can belocated in memory array 140. Bit line pre-charge 142 pre-chargesconnected BL/BLB for various operations of memory array 140 (e.g.,read/write operations). For example, bit line pre-charger 142 caninclude at least two PMOS transistors, with at least one PMOS transistorcoupled to BL and at least one PMOS transistor coupled to BLB. Memoryarray 140 can also include, for example, row decoders and/or columndecoders (not shown) to provide WL decoding by row address and BLselections by column address to particular rows and/or columns. Eachread/write operation turns on one WL and the column-selected BLs willread-out or write-in data to memory array 140.

At the end of a read/write cycle using SRAM decoding logic 100, twoseparate events can occur. Specifically, a selected WL is turned off andthe BL pre-charge (BLPCH) 142 is turned on. Depending on the sequence ofthese two events, SNM can be generated and/or increased due to powerlevels of the accessed and unaccessed bit cells of a selected row. Thatis, a bit cell power race condition occurs for a period of time betweenwhen the BLPCH 142 is in an OFF state and when the WL is still in an ONstate. In one example, a WL of SRAM decoding logic 100 is driven by asupply voltage, VDDM, whereas the BL is driven by a periphery supplyvoltage, VDD. When VDD is substantially larger than VDDM, WL decoderdriver circuit 110 can see a large, effective device load. This cancause a delay in turning off the WL while the BLPCH 142 is turned on.Such a delay generates and/or increases a SNM of the SRAM decoding logic100 due to capacitive coupling associated with one or more transistorsof memory array 140.

FIG. 2 depicts an example diagram of example WL decoding scheme 200within the SRAM decoding logic 100 of FIG. 1 in accordance with someembodiments. For the purposes of the subject matter described herein, asknown in the art, it is noted that NMOS and PMOS transistors have threeoperational modes which include weak-inversion mode, triode mode, andactive mode. Additionally, NMOS and PMOS transistors have associatedthreshold voltages. The threshold voltage, V_(T), defines a minimumamount of voltage required across the gate terminal and source terminalto create current flow between a source terminal and a drain terminal ofthe transistor. Threshold voltages associated with NMOS transistors arepositive voltages (e.g., ˜0.8V in some embodiments) and thresholdvoltages associated with PMOS transistors are negative voltages (e.g.,˜−0.8V in some embodiments). In weak-inversion mode, NMOS and PMOStransistors are in an OFF state when the voltage measured between a gateterminal and a source terminal, V_(GS) or V_(SG), is less than or equalto the absolute value of a threshold voltage associated with therespective transistor. In other words, NMOS transistors are in an OFFstate when the following expression is satisfied:V _(GS) ≤|V _(T)|  (1)and PMOS transistors are in an OFF state when the following expressionis satisfied:V _(SG) ≤|V _(T)|  (2)When in an OFF state, the NMOS and PMOS transistors provide noelectrical conduction between a drain terminal and a source terminal andthe transistor is equivalent to a switch in an OFF state.

In triode mode, the NMOS and PMOS transistors are an ON state when (i) avoltage measured between a gate terminal and a source terminal isgreater than or equal to an absolute value of a threshold voltageassociated with the transistor and (ii) the difference between a voltagemeasured across a gate terminal and a source terminal and a thresholdvoltage is greater than or equal to a voltage measure across a drainterminal and a source terminal, V_(DS) or V_(SD). In other words, anNMOS transistor is in an ON state in triode mode when the followingexpressions are satisfied:V _(GS) >|V _(T)|  (3)andV _(DS) ≤V _(GS) −|V _(T)|  (4)A PMOS transistor is in an ON state in triode mode when the followingexpressions are satisfied:V _(SG) >|V _(T)|  (5)andV _(SD) ≤V _(SG) −|V _(T)|.  (6)When in an ON state, the transistor allows current to flow between thedrain terminal and the source terminal.

In active mode, the transistor is in an ON state when (i) the voltagemeasured between a gate terminal and a source terminal is greater thanthe threshold voltage and (ii) the voltage measured between a gateterminal and a drain terminal is greater than a difference between avoltage measured between a gate terminal and a source terminal and thethreshold voltage. In other words, a NMOS transistor is in an ON statewhen Equation (3) and the following are satisfied:V _(DS) >V _(GS) −|V _(T)|.  (7)A PMOS transistor is in an ON state when Equation (5) and the followingare satisfied:V _(SD) >V _(SG) −|V _(T)|.  (8)

WL decoding scheme 200 can determine controller operations of SRAMdecoding logic 100, such as, read/write operations, addressingpre-decoding for word line drivers, chip enabling/disabling, self timinggenerations, and/or other operations associated with main input/outputarray communications. Components of WL decoding scheme 200 can bedispersed throughout SRAM decoding logic 100. In accordance with someembodiments, WL decoding scheme 200 can include WL decoding controlcircuit 130, WL pre-decoder circuit 120, and WL decoder driver circuit110. WL decoder driver circuit 110 can include one or more PMOStransistors 212, 214, and 216 and one or more NMOS transistors 213, 215coupled to one or more WLs 124. Data (e.g., address locations to enableread/write operations) on the WLs can be decoded by WL pre-decodercircuit 120. WL pre-decoder circuit 120 can include one or more decoders122. Decoder 122 is electrically coupled to a periphery supply voltage,VDD. Additionally, one or more BLs (not shown in FIG. 2) are alsoelectrically coupled to a periphery supply voltage, VDD. A common NMOStransistor 210 is electrically coupled to the common node 114 of WLdecoding control circuit 130. A common decoder line (e.g., DECX2_COM<0>)interconnects the WL pre-decoder circuits 120 and WL decoder drivercircuits 110 at a common node 114. Common node 114 is a commonconnection point for electrical components within the WL pre-decodercircuits 120 and WL decoder driver circuits 110. A WL decoding controlcircuit 130 electrically interconnects with common node 114 to reduce aneffective load of WL decoder driver circuit 110. The effective loadmeasured at common node 114 is electrically reduced. Common NMOStransistor 210 is electrically coupled to one or more WL decoder drivercircuits 110. The gate terminals of PMOS transistors 212, 214 and NMOStransistors 213, 215 receive inputs with address signals from memoryarray 140 (e.g., clocked address DECX2<0> which is a pulse signaltriggered by a clock for every clock cycle). The gate terminals of PMOStransistor 216 and NMOS transistor 215 are coupled to a source/drainterminal of PMOS transistor 212, 214 and NMOS transistor 213. PMOStransistors 212, 214, 216 are electrically coupled to a voltage, VDDM.

When the supply voltage, VDDM, for the WLs 124 is substantially lowerthan the periphery supply voltage for the BL, absent pre-set controlcircuit 230 (e.g., VDDM=˜0.54V and VDD=˜0.675V in some embodiments), theoutput of decoder 122, EN, is high which produces a substantial voltagelevel (e.g., satisfying Equations (3), (4), and/or (7)). The output ofdecoder 122, EN, is coupled to the gate terminals of PMOS transistor 212and NMOS transistor 213. A source/drain terminal of PMOS transistor 212is coupled to VDDM (e.g., ˜0.54V in some embodiments) which has asubstantially lower voltage than the voltage at EN. The differencebetween the source/drain terminal voltage, VDD, and the gate terminalvoltage, VDDM, results in a positive voltage (e.g., V_(SG-222)),satisfying Equation (2) for PMOS transistor 212. As a result, PMOStransistor 212 is in an OFF state. A source/drain terminal of PMOStransistor 212 is electrically coupled to a source/drain terminal ofNMOS transistor 213. With PMOS transistor 212 in an OFF state, thevoltage across the gate terminal and source terminal of NMOS transistor213, V_(GS-213), is approximately substantially high (e.g., satisfyingEquations (3), (4), and/or (7)). As a result, NMOS 213 is in an ONstate. DECX2<0> is a pulse signal generated by a clock which istriggered every clock cycle time. When DECX2<0> is low (e.g., 0V in someembodiments), the voltage across the gate terminal and the source/drainterminal coupled to VDDM of PMOS transistor 214, V_(GS-214), satisfieseither Equations (5), (6), and/or (8). As a result, PMOS transistor 214is in an ON state and WLB is high due to current flow between the gateterminal and source/drain terminals of PMOS transistor 214. Gateterminals of PMOS transistor 216 and NMOS transistor 215 are coupled toWLB. With a high gate voltage substantially higher than VDDM, Equation(2) is satisfied for PMOS transistor 216 and PMOS transistor 216 is inan OFF state. A source/drain terminal of PMOS 216 is electricallycoupled to a source/drain terminal of NMOS transistor 215. With a highvoltage on the gate terminal of NMOS transistor 215 and a lowsource/drain voltage, Equations (3), (4), and/or (7) are satisfied andNMOS transistor is in an ON state. With DECX2<0> low, the gate voltageof NMOS transistor 210 is approximately 0V. With no gate voltage,Equation (1) is satisfied for NMOS transistor 210. As a result, NMOStransistor 210 is in an OFF state. With PMOS transistors 212, 216 andNMOS transistor 210 in an OFF state and NMOS transistors 213, 215 andPMOS transistors 214 in an ON state, absent pre-set control circuit 230,the effective load of PMOS transistor 214 can include, for example, aresistive-capacitive (RC) load on WLB, the device load of NMOStransistor 215, the device load of PMOS transistor 216, the device loadof NMOS transistor 213, and/or the RC load of the common node 114. PMOStransistor 214 is in an ON state, which charges WLB to a high voltage(e.g., VDDM) slowly, with an increased effective load seen by PMOStransistor 214. NMOS transistor 213 is in an ON state with the RC loadof the common node 114. Since NMOS transistor 213 is ON and has a largervoltage across its gate and source terminals, V_(GS-213), than thevoltage across the gate and source terminals of PMOS transistor 214,V_(SG-214), and the RC load at common node 114 is so large, the slope ofWLB is degraded and the WL 124 falling edge is extended which generatesand/or increases the SNM. This condition causes a bitcell power-racecondition between WLB and WL. WL decoding control circuit 130 decreasesthis load as explained in more detail in reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 depicts an example diagram 300 of a WL decoding control circuit130 shown in FIG. 2 in accordance with some embodiments. WL decodingcontrol circuit 130 includes an inverter 310 and NMOS transistor 320coupled between the common node 114 and common NMOS transistor 210. Inone embodiment, the input of inverter 310 is coupled to the gate regionof common NMOS transistor 210. The output of inverter 310 is coupled tothe gate of NMOS transistor 320. NMOS transistor 320 is driven by thesupply voltage, VDDM, and inverter 310 is driven by periphery voltage,VDD. When DECX2<0> is low, the inverter 310 produces a high output tothe gate terminal of NMOS transistor 320. When the periphery voltage,VDD, is greater than the supply voltage, VDDM, (e.g., VDDM=˜0.54V andVDD=˜0.675V in some embodiments), the voltage across the gate terminaland source terminal of NMOS transistor 320 satisfies Equations (3), (4),and/or (7) and NMOS transistor 320 is in the ON state. With the NMOStransistor 320 in the ON state, maximum current is supplied to thecommon node 114 (e.g., common decoder line DECX2_COM<0>) as current isflowing between the gate terminal and the source/drain terminals of NMOStransistor 320 as it is in the ON state. NMOS transistor 320 is apull-up device that charges the RC load on DECX2_COM<0> at common node114 when DECX2<0> is selected as it provides current to the common node114 and a source/drain terminal of NMOS transistor 213. The common node114 charges toward VDD at a faster rate than previously described withno pre-set control circuit 230 with NMOS transistor 210 in an OFF state,which in turn improves the charging of the WLB node. The charging of WLBimproves with pre-set control circuit 230 as current is provided by bothcommon node 114 and the source/drain terminal of NMOS 213 coupled toWLB. When the supply voltage, VDDM, is larger than the periphery supplyvoltage, VDD, the NMOS transistor 320 is in the ON state until commonnode 114 reaches the threshold voltage (e.g., VDD-V_(TH)) and thevoltage at the common node 114 is VDD-V_(TH) which would satisfyEquation (1), turning OFF NMOS transistor 320. The charging of the WLBnode is relatively lesser through the common node 114 as this is acommon electrical coupling point within WL decoding control circuit 130.However, a higher VDDM provides substantially sufficient electricalcurrent for WLB to charge. With either VDDM greater than VDD or with VDDgreater than VDDM, it can be observed that the WL decoding controlcircuit 130 automatically adjusts itself to increase the charging rateat the WLB in various VDDM/VDD voltage combinations as NMOS transistor320 is driven by supply voltage, VDDM.

FIGS. 4A-4C depict example voltage plots of the WL decoding controlcircuit 130 shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with some embodiments.Referring to FIG. 4A, a supply voltage, VDDM, as illustrated as coupledto source/drain terminals of PMOS transistors 212, 214, 126 in FIG. 2 isset to 1.115 V and a periphery voltage, VDD, coupled to decoder 122 inFIG. 2 is set to 0.650 V resulting in the plot 400. Plot 400 illustratesvoltage plot lines for WLB and DECX2_COM<0> at common node 114 of FIG.2. When VDDM is greater than VDD, the voltage at the common node 114charges to a steady state of approximately 0.4V at a charge rate whichis faster than when the WLB reaches a steady state voltage above 1V andavoids the bitcell race condition. Referring to FIG. 4B, a supplyvoltage, VDDM, of WL decoder driver circuit 110 in FIG. 2 is set to 0.54V and a periphery voltage, VDD, of WL pre-decoder circuit 120 in FIG. 2is set to 0.675 V (VDD>VDDM) resulting in the plot 410. The worst casefor a bitcell power race condition is when VDD is greater than VDDM asdemonstrated by plot 410. Plot 410 illustrates voltage plot lines forWLB and DECX2_COM<0> at common node 114 of FIG. 2. With a smallervoltage difference between VDDM and VDD in plot 410 than in plot 400,the WLB reaches a steady state voltage at a time prior to (e.g., a pointin time before) the common node 114 reaching a steady state voltage.Referring to FIG. 4C, a supply voltage, VDDM, as illustrated as coupledto source/drain terminals of PMOS transistors 212, 214, 216 in FIG. 2 isset to 0.605 V and a periphery voltage, VDD, coupled to decoder 122 inFIG. 2 is set to 0.605 V (VDD=VDDM) resulting in the plot 420. Plot 420illustrates voltage plot lines for WLB and DECX2_COM<0> at common node114 of FIG. 2. With equal VDD and VDDM voltage levels, the voltage atthe common node 114 achieves a steady state voltage faster than WLB.Plots 400, 410, and 420 each illustrate the voltages of the WLB of WLdecoder driver circuit 110 and common decoder line (e.g., DECX2_COM<0>)at common node 114 with the integration of WL decoding control circuit130. As illustrated by plot 400, the greater the voltage gap between VDDand VDDM, the faster the WL decoding scheme 200 behaves as the steadystate voltages are achieved at a faster rate in plot 400 than in plots410, 420.

FIG. 5A depicts an example performance data plot 500 of WL decodingscheme 200 shown in FIG. 2 without inclusion of pre-set control circuit230. Performance data plot 500 illustrates a BLPCH voltage plot line 501and a WL plot line 503 for a SRAM device which does not include pre-setcontrol circuit 230. FIG. 5B depicts an example performance data plot510 of WL decoding scheme 200 shown in FIG. 2 with inclusion of pre-setcontrol circuit 230 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Performance data plot 510illustrates a BLPCH voltage plot line 511 and a WL plot line 513 of aSRAM device which does include pre-set control circuit 230 as describedin detail in FIG. 3. Comparing WL plot line 503 with WL plot line 513,plot 510 illustrates that use of the pre-set control circuit 230improves the performance of a SRAM device by approximately 120 ps. Inother words, use of the pre-set control circuit 230 speeds up theperformance of the SRAM device so as to avoid the bitcell power racecondition, ensuring that the WL pulse width is decreased between plot500 and plot 510. In other words, the pulse width of plot line 513 wascontrolled via pre-set control circuit 230 (e.g., reduced pulse widthbetween plot lime 513 and plot line 503).

FIG. 6 depicts an example flow chart 600 depicting a process forcontrolling a word line pulse width of a SRAM decoding logic 100 shownin FIG. 2 in accordance with some embodiments. While the process of FIG.6 is applicable to many different structures, it is described withreference to structures of FIGS. 1-3 for ease of understanding. Aninverter 310 within pre-set control circuit 230 receives a first inputincluding a clocked address at 610. The inverter 310 determines anoutput based on the clocked address input (e.g., from NMOS transistor210) at 620. As known in the art, an inverter inverts the input providedto it. For example, if a high input is provided to inverter 310,inverter 310 will provide a low output and vice versa. An electricalload of the WL decoder driver circuit 110, as described in detail inFIG. 2, is modified based on the output of the inverter at 630. Forexample, the effective load as measured at common node 114 can bereduced as WL decoding control circuit 130 is used as a pull-up deviceto charge the RC load at common node 114. At 640, current is provided tothe transistor coupled at the common node configured to electricallycouple a plurality of transistors within the decoder driver circuit.

Implementation of WL decoding control circuit 130 as described hereincan substantially minimize and/or eliminate power race conditionsbetween turning OFF a WL prior to turning ON BLPCH. The worst case powerrace condition exists when the periphery supply voltage, VDD, is greaterthan the supply voltage, VDDM. The WL decoding control circuit 130 isused as a pull up device to charge an RC load at a common node 114 ofthe SRAM device. Reducing of the effective load measured at common node114 can substantially minimize and/or eliminate the race condition bymaintaining and/or minimizing current leakages of the SRAM device,maintaining and/or minimizing power consumed by the SRAM device, and/ormaintaining and/or minimizing the time between when a WL turns OFF priorto turning ON BLPCH. In some embodiments, systems and methods asdescribed herein can substantially minimize or eliminate power raceconditions at a minimal cost in increased circuit complexity. In oneexample, a control circuit, as described herein, can be implemented thatadds only two gates per 64 WLs of a memory device.

In one embodiment, a circuit includes a first transistor having a gateand a source/drain terminal. The circuit also includes an inverterhaving an input node coupled to the gate of the first transistor and anoutput node. The circuit also includes a second transistor having a gateand a source/drain terminal. The gate of the second transistor iscoupled to the output node of the inverter. The source/drain terminal ofthe second transistor is coupled to the source/drain terminal of thefirst transistor.

In another embodiment, SRAM devices are provided having at least twodecoder circuits electrically coupled together via a common decoderline, a transistor electrically coupled to the decoder line, and aninverter electrically coupled to the transistor.

In yet another embodiment, an inverter of a pre-set control circuitreceives a first input including a clocked address. The inverterdetermines an output based on the clocked address. An electrical load ofa decoder driver circuit is modified based on the output. Current isprovided to a transistor coupled at a common node configured toelectrically couple a plurality of transistors within the decoder drivercircuit.

The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that thoseskilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the presentdisclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they mayreadily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifyingother processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/orachieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein.Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalentconstructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions, andalterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent disclosure.

This written description and the following claims may include terms,such as “on,” that are used for descriptive purposes only and are not tobe construed as limiting. The embodiments of a device or articledescribed herein can be manufactured, used, or shipped in a number ofpositions and orientations. For example, the term “on” as used herein(including in the claims) may not necessarily indicate that a firstlayer/structure “on” a second layer/structure is directly on and inimmediate contact with the second layer/structure unless such isspecifically stated; there may be one or more third layers/structuresbetween the first layer/structure and the second layer/structure. Theterm “semiconductor device structure” used herein (including in theclaims) may refer to shallow trench isolation features, poly-silicongates, lightly doped drain regions, doped wells, contacts, vias, metallines, or other types of circuit patterns or features to be formed on asemiconductor substrate.

What is claimed is:
 1. A control circuit for minimizing a static noisemargin of a static random access memory device comprising: a firsttransistor; an inverter coupled to the first transistor; and a secondtransistor comprising a gate, a first source/drain terminal and a secondsource/drain terminal, the second transistor being coupled to theinverter and the first source/drain terminal of the second transistorbeing coupled in series to the first transistor, and wherein the secondsource/drain terminal is coupled to a decoder driver circuit, whereinthe second transistor is configured to charge a load of a common decoderline coupled to the first transistor and the second transistor so as toreduce an effective load of the decoder driver circuit.
 2. The controlcircuit of claim 1, wherein the first transistor and the secondtransistor are coupled together at a common node, the common nodecoupled to one or more driver circuits.
 3. The control circuit of claim1, wherein the first transistor is coupled to a common decoder line of astatic random access memory (SRAM) device.
 4. The control circuit ofclaim 1, wherein the inverter is driven by a first voltage and thesecond transistor is driven by a second voltage.
 5. The control circuitof claim 4, wherein the first and second voltages are voltagesindependent of one another.
 6. The control circuit of claim 4, wherein asource/drain terminal of the second transistor is coupled to the secondvoltage.
 7. A static random access memory (SRAM) device comprising: atleast two decoder driver circuits electrically coupled together via acommon decoder line; a transistor electrically coupled to the at leasttwo decoder driver circuits via the common decoder line; and an inverterelectrically coupled to the transistor, and wherein the transistorcharges a load of the common decoder line so as to reduce an effectiveload of the at least two decoder driver circuits and wherein the commondecoder line is coupled to one or more transistors within each decoderdriver circuit.
 8. The SRAM device of claim 7, further comprisinganother transistor electrically coupled to the common decoder linebetween a source/drain terminal of the transistor and an input node ofthe inverter.
 9. The SRAM device of claim 7, wherein the inverter isdriven by a first voltage and the transistor is driven by a secondvoltage.
 10. The SRAM device of claim 9, wherein the first and secondvoltages are voltages independent of one another.
 11. The SRAM device ofclaim 9, wherein a source/drain terminal of the transistor is coupled tothe second voltage.
 12. The SRAM device of claim 7, wherein the invertercomprises an input node electrically coupled to a gate of thetransistor.
 13. A method in a static random access memory (SRAM) devicecomprising: generating a first input comprising a clocked address;receiving, by an inverter, the clocked address; determining, by theinverter, an output based on the clocked address; modifying anelectrical load of a decoder driver circuit of the SRAM device based onthe output; and providing current to a transistor coupled at a commonnode configured to electrically couple a plurality of transistors withinthe decoder driver circuit.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein thetransistor is configured to charge the electrical load of the decoderdriver circuit so as to reduce an effective load of the decoder drivercircuit.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein a common decoder line iscoupled to one or more transistors of the decoder driver circuit. 16.The method of claim 13, wherein the inverter is driven by a firstvoltage and the transistor is driven by a second voltage.
 17. The methodof claim 16, wherein the first and second voltages are voltagesindependent of one another.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein asource/drain terminal of the transistor is coupled to the secondvoltage.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the electrical load isreduced at the common node when the first voltage first voltage isgreater than the second voltage.
 20. The control circuit of claim 1,wherein the inverter is driven by a first voltage and the transistor isdriven by a second voltage.